Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler issued an "emergency rule" banning the use of credit scoring in calculating insurance rates. This rule went into effect on June 20. Many of you may now be seeing an increase in your home, auto or renter's insurance rates.
Commissioner Kreidler couldn't get any traction with his bill last legislative session, so he decided to use the emergency rule to get around the Legislature. The bill could not make it out of committee in the Senate. There was and is clearly bipartisan opposition to the rule as exhibited by two recent opinion-editorials.
In The Seattle Times, Sen. Mark Mullet said: “Adding on to families' economic burdens is often unwise. But to do so amid the ongoing hardships of the COVID-19 pandemic is downright cruel — and the blame sits squarely on the desk of state Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler.”
Rep. Brandon Vick also penned an opinion-editorial in The Columbian. In it, he concluded: “If your rates went up, blame Commissioner Kreidler. If you want to do something about it, tell the commissioner how upset you are and then contact your legislators.”
- OPINION: Your insurance premiums should not rise needlessly (Democratic Sen. Mark Mullet, chairs the Senate Business, Financial Services and Trade Committee/The Seattle Times)
- OPINION: Who is causing rate increases? (Republican Rep. Brandon Vick, ranking minority member on the House Consumer Protection and Business Committee/The Columbian)
Kreidler's actions are another example of abusing emergency rules and why we need emergency powers reforms. His actions are adding unnecessary costs on to families as we continue through the hardship of the pandemic.
- Rep. Keith Goehner
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